The present invention relates to a device for reducing electrical transients generated when power is restored from an electric power provider or otherwise supplied to multiple consumers on a power grid.
Homes, businesses, and other electric power users are typically connected to a network of power lines (i.e. a power grid) by an electrical connection. The electrical connection typically includes an electricity meter such that all electric current supplying power to that user flows through the electricity meter. The power grid itself includes sources of electric power, such as coal-fired generators or hydroelectric generators; electrically conductive lines, which usually carry high-voltage alternating current (AC) voltages; and the connections to the electric power users.
Many of the power lines are exposed to harsh environmental conditions and can become inoperable for many reasons, such as inclement weather, ice, falling trees, or animal damage, which may cause a portion of the power grid to fail or blackout. When a power grid comes back on after such an event, all of the loads, such as refrigerators, furnace fans, freezers, air conditioners, or motors, connected to the power grid want to come back on simultaneously. This sudden spike in demand creates a transient decrease (dip) in the voltage on the power lines, typically followed by a transient voltage spike. These transient spikes may cause damage to customer devices connected to the power grid, or to the power grid itself. For example, the wiring of the power lines may be damaged or destroyed; insulation may be damaged or stressed to fail at some later point; or electrical components such as capacitors, transformers, and transistors may fail.
In order to combat these and other transients, power line conditioners, such as surge suppressors, have been deployed. However, the surge suppressors are often supplied by the individual power consumers and only on some of the electrical equipment connected to the grid.
Therefore, what is needed is a device for reducing electrical transients generated on a power grid when power is restored from an electric power provider.